Written Answers Wednesday 8 December 2010

Scottish Executive

Care of Older People

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive by what level payments to local authorities will be uprated in 2011-12 for the delivery of the shared Scottish Government/COSLA commitments on free personal care.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government and COSLA have agreed a package of measures for 2011-12 which they have recommended to local authorities. The package is associated with an overall sum of money for local government. Each local authority is now considering whether to accept that package. The overall package includes implementation of various undertakings, including the delivery of the shared Scottish Government/COSLA commitments on free personal care.

Dentistry

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental students at the University of (a) Dundee and (b) Glasgow received a bursary in 2009-10.

Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  Number of Students who have Received a Dental Bursary at Glasgow and Dundee University for the 2009-10 Session

  

Institution
2009-10 Session 


Dundee University - Dental Bursary Recipients
242


Glasgow University - Dental Bursary Recipients
312

Dentistry

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental students at the University of (a) Dundee and (b) Glasgow who have received a dental bursary since 2006-07 now work in NHS dentistry, also broken down by NHS board, and what percentage of students receiving a bursary this represents.

Shona Robison: The following table reports the number of bursary recipients in the NHSScotland dental workforce data at 30 September 2009 (the latest available data).

  

NHS Board
Dundee
%
Glasgow
%


Ayrshire and Arran
5
21.74
18
78.26


Borders
0
 
0
 


Fife
11
84.62
2
15.83


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
10
15.63
54
84.38


Highland
9
52.94
8
47.06


Lanarkshire
7
12.5
49
87.5


Grampian
15
65.22
8
34.78


Orkney
1
50.00
1
50.00


Lothian
15
50.00
15
50.00


Tayside
49
92.45
4
7.55


Forth Valley
4
21.05
15
78.95


Western Isles
 
 
2
100.00


Dumfries and Galloway
1
50.00
1
50.00


Shetland
1
50.00
1
50.00



  The following table reports the proportion of students who received a bursary, have graduated and were in the NHSScotland dental workforce data at 30 September 2009. This is not broken down by NHS board because dentists may work in multiple NHS boards simultaneously.

  

 
Proportion of Bursary Recipients


Dundee
0.84


Glasgow
0.82

Forestry

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm reports that there has been a net decrease in woodland area of 8,000 hectares in the last two years and whether it considers that there will be a net increase or decrease in 2010-11.

Roseanna Cunningham: It is not possible to confirm a net decrease in woodland area in the last two years. Based on felling approvals and the area of replanting and new planting in the same reference period, there was an apparent decrease in woodland area of about 5,000 hectares but this takes no account of the time-lag between felling and replanting nor of any woodland expansion through unrecorded natural regeneration. We anticipate a net increase in woodland area in 2010-11 and succeeding years.

Further and Higher Education

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of school leavers entered full-time higher or further education in the (i) Dundee City and (ii) Angus Council area in each of the last four years for which information is available.

Michael Russell: This information has been published as background data to the annual Destinations of Leavers from Scottish Schools publication. It can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/leavedestla.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether UK residents based in England are entitled to free dental and eye checks in Scotland.

Shona Robison: UK residents based in England can receive free NHS dental and eye examinations in Scotland.

Health

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will work with and support NHS Fife in addressing the issue of it having the highest number of delayed discharges.

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to prevent the rate of delayed discharges in Fife being exacerbated by problems associated with winter.

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in circumstances where seasonal pressures on delayed discharges lead to difficulties in managing emergency admissions in NHS Fife.

Shona Robison: My officials are in regular contact with NHS Fife and Fife Council to assist them in making immediate reductions in the current levels of delayed discharges. I have made it clear to the partnership that the recent increase in delayed discharges is not acceptable.

  The Joint Improvement Team has re-engaged with NHS Fife and Fife Council, having previously supported the partnership to deliver the zero target in April 2008, a level the partnership sustained until recently.

Health

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet NHS Fife should seasonal pressures on delayed discharges result in an increase in waiting times for inpatient and day-cases and at accident and emergency services.

Shona Robison: Ministers are in regular contact with all NHS boards. I recently met with the Chair of NHS Fife and we discussed the current delayed discharge situation. We are both clear that the current position is not good enough and NHS Fife is working closely with Fife Council, and with the help of the Joint Improvement Team, to resolve this.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the Glasgow Anti-stigma Partnership report, There’s More to Me .

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not intend to formally respond to the Glasgow Anti-stigma Partnership report, There’s More to Me . However, we welcome the findings of this report.

  We are currently supporting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Centre for Health and Wellbeing, in partnership with NHS Lothian, to conduct a project which will contribute to the understanding of LGBT communities and their mental health and wellbeing needs, and deliver specialist mental health support for LGBT people in Lothian.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that mental health services are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) friendly.

Shona Robison: Guidance through the Fair for All Agenda, to eliminate and promote equality of opportunity for everyone, is available to help NHS staff understand and meet their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act, and to support NHS Scotland in implementing the Gender Equality Scheme Duty, which assesses progress in achieving gender equality outcomes and provides information and good practice examples of LGBT people using NHS services.

  Through this overarching agenda, Fair for All – LGBT has been mainstreamed within NHS Health Scotland, and is determining the focus to deliver accessible, high quality and sensitive services which fully meet the needs of Scotland’s LGBT population.

  From July 2010, the Scottish Government has been funding the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing to run the Demonstration Project, to provide learning and create the foundations for lasting and sustainable cultural change in relation to responding to the needs of LGBT people who experience mental health problems. The project is designed to help us learn how best to support LGBT people across Scotland, it is being guided by a Lothian based advisory group, with a wide ranging membership of stakeholders, such as NHS Lothian, Choose Life and see me, to inform its development and to encourage engagement across health, social care and equality services, communities and organisations. The projects aims to: increase access to health care and support services for LGBT people; tackle the mental health risk factors affecting LGBT people; work to promote resilience and strengthen the capacity of the LGBT community, promote the mental health and wellbeing of individuals, and provide specialist mental health input for LGBT people experiencing mental health problems.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what partnership arrangements exist between the NHS and (a) universities and (b) colleges in the provision of mental health services for students.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government published Partnership Matters , first issued in 2005, subsequently refreshed in 2007 and again in May 2009. This is a guidance document which describes the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, NHS boards and voluntary organisations to support people with additional support needs who wish to study, or are currently studying at Scotland’s colleges or universities. This guidance included developing staff training and guidance; enhancing central support facilities; developing drug and alcohol policies; employing wardens or organising peer support in student residencies, and promoting awareness of stress triggers and periods of increased vulnerability.

  In relation to this, the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU) was funded by the Scottish Government to develop a website to provide information and resources for college and university staff related to promoting student mental health improvement.

  Projects currently in partnership with the NHS include: Sharing Practice In Mental Health Improvement between NHS Lothian and the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, looking at the mental health of students, and the Student Mental Health Group Glasgow, which is a collaborative project between the six universities in Glasgow City and NHS.

  All student mental health improvement initiatives can be found at the SFEU Website, mentioned above, which was launched in 2007:

  http://www.scotlandscolleges.ac.uk/ssmh/ssmh/case-studies-ssmh.html.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it undertakes into mental illness in the student population.

Shona Robison: In Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland: Policy and Action Plan 2009-2011  we made a commitment to fund NUS Scotland to deliver a three-year project aimed at long-term gains in mental health improvement practices. As part of that project NUS conducted a piece of research: Silently Stressed: a survey into student mental wellbeing  published in October 2010. This will inform priorities for the remainder of the project and for any future work.

Pharmacies

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards have delegated powers that would enable them to allow dispensing GP practices to continue dispensing after a local pharmacy application is accepted.

Shona Robison: Yes. The regulations for general practice provide that a contractor or provider shall be entitled to receive reasonable notice from the health board if the supply of drugs, medicines and appliances is to be discontinued.

Pharmacies

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum grant is payable under the Essential Small Pharmacy Scheme.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how payments under the Essential Small Pharmacy Scheme are calculated.

Shona Robison: Transitional arrangements are currently in place for community pharmacy remuneration.

  Essential Small Pharmacies (ESPs) do not receive a grant but depending on circumstances full time ESPs are eligible for a maximum guaranteed monthly income payment of £3,908 in lieu of transition or shadow fee scale payments. Part time contractors receive a proportional payment. They are also eligible like all other community pharmacy contractors for a range of other payments.

Pharmacies

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for how long payments can be made under the Essential Small Pharmacy Scheme.

Shona Robison: Payments to community pharmacy contractors on the Essential Small Pharmacy Scheme Register are made for as long as the contractor meets the eligibility criteria. NHS boards are expected to regularly review their essential small pharmacies and withdraw any that no longer meet the criteria from the register.

Physical Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures whether there have been changes in the number of pupils participating in sport at (a) primary and (b) secondary school.

Michael Russell: A new active schools monitoring system, introduced in 2008-09, which records physical activities and sport within individual primary and secondary school plans. Active schools managers are responsible for recording the data. The information collated includes the number of opportunities for children and young people to take part in sport and physical activity but excludes all curricular activity. As a result, it is difficult to compare data collected pre 2008-09 to subsequent collections.

Physical Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports schools to enable pupils to move on from physical exercise to participation in sport.

Michael Russell: The Active Schools Programme was established in 2004. The programme is designed to increase the number of opportunities for children to get engaged in physical activity and sport and develop links with sports clubs and other community organisations to give pupils a "pathway" to continue their participation in sport beyond school. This activity is over and above PE.

  Active schools managers and coordinators are responsible for developing and supporting an infrastructure for active schools within the school and wider community. They do this by recruiting, supporting and sustaining a network of volunteers coaches, leaders and teachers who in turn deliver physical activity and sport before, during and after school and in the wider community.

  sportscotland provided around £13 million to fund this programme in 2009-10 which supports over 450 Active Schools staff overseeing over 2,500 schools in all 32 local authority areas. Last year this delivered just under 5 million sessions (a 5% increase on the previous year) providing opportunities for young people to be physically active beyond PE.

  It is vital that physical activity forms part of all young people’s lives and that there are appropriate opportunities to stimulate and develop interest and commitment that will provide a foundation for sustained physical activity throughout their lives. Our investment into sports governing bodies allows them to provide a range of programmes for children to take part in sport. In addition, we have invested into a number of targeted programmes which focus on providing opportunities for children in schools to take part in sport including our clubgolf and top-up swimming investments.

Physical Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what activities undertaken by pupils outwith the school setting it classifies as contributing to the delivery of two hours of physical education per week.

Michael Russell: Curriculum for Excellence places an emphasis on two hours of planned, timetabled, quality physical education for every pupil each week. It is for individual schools to decide, in the light of local needs and circumstances, what activities should be included in pupils two hours per week timetabled physical education experience and where these activities should take place.

  In addition to planned physical education sessions, children and young people will participate in physical activity and sport in the classroom, during travel such as walking and cycling, in the outdoor environment and in the community.

Physical Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in providing pupils with access to two hours of physical education per week.

Michael Russell: Local authorities report that 1,167 primary schools throughout Scotland (55%) are delivering at least two hours physical education. This is supported by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) who found year on year improvement in delivery of two hours physical education in primary schools - 32% of 237 schools inspected in 2007-08, 42% of 231 schools inspected in 2008-09 and 59% of 264 primary schools inspected in 2009-10.

  85 schools throughout Scotland (23%) are delivering at least two hours physical education across S1 to S4. 17 authorities reported that they are either delivering or plan to deliver at least 2x50 or 55 minute periods of core physical education across S1 to S4. This is supported by HMIE who found that 60% of 60 schools inspected in 2009/10 are delivering at least 2x50 or 55 minute periods of physical education across S1 to S4. Further information can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi/PE.

Physical Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures whether there has been progress in increasing the number of schools offering two hours of physical education per week per pupil.

Michael Russell: The quality of children and young people’s learning in physical education is evaluated and reported on in every school inspection. In every school inspection report HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) makes comment on whether or not the school is providing pupils with two hours physical education in line with national expectations. HMIE gathers evidence about the quality of experiences for learners and other factors such as staffing, resourcing and timetabling. Where it has concerns about the quantity and quality of pupil experiences in PE, it has further discussion with relevant staff about and around the school’s proposals to make the necessary adjustments.

  In addition, through ongoing inspection tasks and ongoing work with education authorities, HMIE maintains a clear overview of progress towards the target and will periodically publish on its website a report on this progress for parents, elected members and the public. This ensures that inspection and reporting look not only at the quantitative aspects of PE but also consider the quality of the provision for children and young people.

Residential Care

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question answer S3W-37060 by Shona Robison on 17 November 2010, how many patients were awaiting a placement in a care home in each NHS board area and what the (a) average and (b) maximum length of wait is, also broken down by local authority area, in each of the last five years.

Shona Robison: Information on NHS patients awaiting placement in a care home is recorded on the Delayed Discharges censuses. Data from October 2005 to October 2010 is available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 52135).

  Source: ISD Scotland, Delayed Discharges Census, Ref: IR2010-02907.

Schools

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the draft budget for 2011-12 includes provision for investment in the modernisation or rebuilding of primary schools in Glasgow other than those already announced as part of the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme.

Keith Brown: The 2011-12 draft budget includes £20 million for the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, and £691.8 million support for capital for local authorities. This may be used for capital investment which includes investment in infrastructure such as school buildings. It is for individual local authorities to determine the use of the total resources available to them reflecting their assessment of local needs and priorities.